


The Cure

by cecaniah



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Human Experimentation, M/M, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-24 00:59:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12001617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cecaniah/pseuds/cecaniah
Summary: In which the government wants to exterminate the 'criminality gene' and nine lost boys are their favorite option.





	The Cure

**Author's Note:**

> # 128  
> OT9 as gang members and drug dealers. One night, after getting intoxicated and engaging in a fight with a rival gang, they get caught by the police and sentenced to prison where they become test subjects for experimental and psychological therapies.
> 
> Rating: Mature  
> Warning: Explicit violence, light gore, blood, drugs, human experimentation  
> English is not my mother tongue so please forgive my mistakes! <3

 

**prologue**

 

 

The raindrops are furiously hitting the ceiling, as though they want to break it, and the symphony of the thunders announce a big storm. Sehun can’t help but worry, thinking about his friends out there, who are taking too long to contact him. He knows they are the best, hence he shouldn't feed those silly, groundless ideas, and yet he catches himself staring at the door, as though he could make them come back soon.

 

Cold fingers play with the threads of his hair, startling him, causing him to look up, his lips curving in a sweet smile as he sees Junmyeon standing right there. The older feels he has to take care of his members, and he always senses when Sehun is anxious, just by the way his eyes seem lost in the horizon.

 

“Kyungsoo managed to contact them. They said they will arrive in a few minutes.” Junmyeon speaks, sitting on the sofa, tracing invisible lines along the cracks of the old fabric. Living underground has its inconveniences, the mold stains the walls due to water seepage, the rusty covers the frail stair, and there are no windows. Their place isn’t small, it has three rooms and two bathrooms, so the nine of them can live fairly well. Their kitchen is cozy, and Junmyeon makes sure there’s food when they get back, once the boys need to recover their energy. The living room consists of a TV and two couches, nothing too fancy. It’s safe, though, and that is the thing they need the most: a place where they can rest their head in peace, positive that no one is going to find them and hurt them.

 

The sound of a key unlocking a door reverberates through the area, followed by hurried footsteps and hasty breaths. The first thing Sehun sees is a red, Chanyeol dragging Jongin down the stairs. The latter is conscious, at least, though there’s blood on his face and he seems to be limping. Minseok is behind them, and he rushes to Yixing’s room, calling him and asking him to see them. Jongdae is supporting the brown haired boy as well, helping Chanyeol to lay him on the table.

 

“What happened?” Baekhyun asks as he gets out of his room, waking up due to the sudden movement. He lays his eyes on Chanyeol, sighing in relief when he notices he’s unharmed.

 

“That Joowun bastard tried to steal the load.” Jongdae answers as he reaches for his water bottle in his bag, drinking thirstily. His black hair is messy, dirt blemishes his white skin, and there is a small cut on his bottom lip. Jongdae is twenty-four, but he looks older as he is tired from their trip. “We were outnumbered, but we managed to shoot one of them and deliver the cargo.”

 

“How much did you make it?” Kyungsoo inquiries, approaching them, and immediately he glances at Jongin, frowning a bit. Sehun, the youngest, is tenderly stroking Jongin’s face, wiping the dust away; however, as soon as Kyungsoo arrives, Jongin shifts his attention to him, smiling bitterly as he takes his hand. Sehun pays no mind to them; he is genuinely glad his best friend is back and alive.

 

“Twenty thousand,” Minseok says instead, throwing himself on the couch, stretching his legs and moaning low. It’s nice to have some space after three hours confined in their van.

 

“That’s great, really.” Baekhyun murmurs. “Soon enough we will be rich.”

 

The comment gets a few laughs, and the atmosphere lightens up a bit. Yixing finally appears, carrying a first aid kit. He checks on Jongin, confirming he doesn’t have a concussion and that the bleeding in his head is only superficial. He sees the stain in his pants, and he cuts the fabric, finding a quite deep cut in his leg. There are tiny glass pieces buried in his skin, which he carefully removes with the tweezers, ignoring Jongin’s faint cries as he pours antiseptic into the wound. The boy whines as he sutures it, though he can’t squirm as Sehun and Kyungsoo firmly hold him steady.

 

“There you go, all patched up and pretty again.” Yixing hums, tapping on his thigh playfully, chuckling as Jongin slaps his hand. “I’m going to get you painkillers; you just need some rest.”

 

“Thank you hyung.” Sehun speaks, and the other replies with a gentle smile, ruffling his hair. The younger helps Kyungsoo to take Jongin to his room, laying him down on his bed, making sure he is comfortable. He knows how Jongin hates to feel vulnerable and to have people taking care of him, plus he probably wants a moment alone with Kyungsoo, so he leaves after kissing his forehead.

 

Going back to the living room, Sehun grabs some water, handing to the three boys who are exhausted. His heart flutters at the thought of having his family back, and his anxiety fades away as he calms down since they are okay. Yixing is pacing around, taking care of their minor injuries, Junmyeon is talking to Jongdae, discussing what went wrong. Baekhyun is giggling because of some stupid thing Chanyeol told him, and he doesn’t care his lip is scabbing as he pecks it.

 

Home, that’s how they all call this place, though what makes it a home is the fact that they are all together. Sehun joined them when he was nineteen and Jongin twenty, both of them wanted to run away from their broken families and make some money. They used to sleep on the streets, but Junmyeon once saw them dressing nothing but thin clothes in the middle of Seoul’s winter. He’s the sweetest person Sehun ever met, and he couldn’t leave them like that. Sehun was burning in fever back then, dehydrated and starving, unconscious as Baekhyun carried him to the van. They were the latest members who joined the gang, and they were warmly accepted right away. He was deeply thankful, and he knew that he would have died that night without their help.

 

Kyungsoo sits beside him as Baekhyun and Chanyeol leave to their room. Junmyeon is making dinner, the smell of fish and stew fills the house, and Minseok whines something about how hungry he is. It’s odd how they could easily be a happy family, how casual their conversation is, while there is dried blood under their nails. Perhaps on another occasion, another life, they could be nine young boys who lived their younghood to its fullest, enjoying life like any other stupid teenager would. Now, however, they have to worry about whether are they going to be alive in the next day rather than making plans to the future.

 

The food is ready soon enough, and they all gather in the living room, some of them sitting on the floor as they eat their dinner. Jongin is resting in the bedroom, and Kyungsoo said he was going to feed him later, so they don’t worry about him. Small groans of satisfaction leave their lips, having a meal in their stomach after a harsh day is the best feeling ever.

 

“How did Jongin get hurt?” Yixing asks as he munches a particularly hard muscle of his meat. Those who stayed at home were particularly curious about what happened, wanting to know all the details.

 

“One of them shoot in the window, and Jongin jumped from there. The thing is, the building was quite high, and he fell right into the broken glass.” Jongdae explains, and Yixing nods. It makes sense.

 

“Why were you at a building anyway?” Baekhyun asks. “I thought the meeting spot was at the seventh road?”

 

“They changed because of the storm. It seems Joowun followed us and tried to steal us so that he could be the one handing the cargo to the client. We were trapped and had to jump, managed to contact the man and went to another meeting place. Happy ending.” Minseok says as he drinks the stew, making unpleasant noises.

 

“Ten fucking kilo of cocaine.” Chanyeol hums, sipping from his soju. “The guy seems to be rich; I guess he’s going to use it all by himself.”

 

“I hope he doesn’t overdose; we get a lot of money from him.” Minseok comments, putting his bowl aside. “That’s how the politician spends people’s money, drugging themselves as people beg for a piece of bread. It’s so fucking twisted.”

 

“It is, but they feed us anyway.” Jongdae replies, leaning his head on Junmyeon’s knees and stretching his legs on the floor. The mat under them is reasonably comfortable, and he likes Junmyeon stroking his hair, absently caressing the brown threads.

 

“I hope he dies,” Sehun mutters, he usually doesn’t opine when they are talking, but he always gets angry when the topic is the government and its wealthiness. Everyone shifts their attention to him, some of them nod their head in agreement. “Like I almost died because of them.”

 

An awkward silence invades the place, and they get quiet as they think about what happened to them before they joined the gang. Being a drug dealer isn’t any child’s dream, and yet it’s what they do for a living; they kill their enemies when they have to, not really wondering about what they are doing. Sehun doesn’t regret shooting anyone, and he is positive neither of them does; they don’t kill innocent people, hence it feels as though they are soldiers fighting the war.

 

“You didn’t end up in the street because your family was poor.” Kyungsoo points out in a calm, clear voice. “Did your parents discover you fucked with Jongin?”

 

Widening his eyes at the question, Sehun feels deeply offended. He’s never told any of them the reason why he was kicked out, but it seems that they have been gossiping about it. It makes him angry; the fact that he doesn’t have privacy anymore annoys him.

 

“Exactly.” Sehun answers and the smaller boy seems surprised by his confession. “See this scar right here?” He points to his chin, the thin, white line, is quite visible. “My dad beat the shit out of me and Jongin saved me. That’s what happened, and I don’t want you fucking blabbering around about me.”

 

“Hey, calm down.” Yixing’s tone is smooth, and he rests his hand on his thigh, gently rubbing it.

 

“Soo was jealous because his boyfriend used to fuck you,” Minseok tells Sehun, visibly amused.

 

“He’s afraid Sehunnie will steal his heart.” Baekhyun completes. Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, and he is always like this, like a viper which spills its poison, watching its effect and then chuckling at the whole scene. At the same time, he is the member who takes care of the finances and who waits at home, making sure they are all okay. He babysitters them if he needs it, staying awake all night. That’s the main reason why the boys handle with his bitter comments, just ignoring them.

 

“I don’t want to date Jongin, we were just fuck buddies. You have nothing to worry about, hyung.” Sehun hisses, and he breathes deeply as Yixing squeezes his thigh comfortingly.

 

“I know you don’t stand a chance, Sehunnie. I was just curious, that’s all.” Kyungsoo smiles, reaching for Sehun’s hand and holding it, in an offer of peace.

 

“Don’t fight like that for me,” Jongin says, limping to the couch, and Jongdae immediately gets up, helping him to sit down and calling him an idiot for walking alone. “It’s cute to see you jealous, though.” He added as he pokes Kyungsoo’s cheek, earning a slap. “Ouch, that hurt!”

 

“You deserved.” Kyungsoo giggles, lighting the atmosphere up. Junmyeon is glad they get distracted with the silly conversation because he hates to see them fighting. He knows that, as a team, they have to be close and to trust each other blindly.

 

Still tired from the earlier event, Jongdae is the first to go to bed. Minseok follows him, though he doesn’t seem actually sleepy. Baekhyun and Chanyeol, however, only leave because Yixing scolds them as their kisses start to get a little too obscene, reminding them they are in the living room. Sehun moves away from Kyungsoo and Jongin, leaning on Junmyeon instead.

 

“Tao called.” Yixing murmurs, and it’s odd because only Junmyeon seems to recognize that name. “It seems Luhan got sick but he’s recovering fast, the business is favorable to them, they are making money.”

 

“That’s good news.” Junmyeon comments, running his fingers through Sehun’s hair. He likes to treat the members well, mostly the younger ones, and Sehun always seems to relax with his touches. It appears that the latter is regularly inflicted by some painful thoughts, wrapped in his little world. “What’s Yifan been up to?”

 

“He didn’t say, but I think he just got back from Japan. It seems he’s got a deal with the Japanese sailors.”

 

Apparently, that’s a great thing, because Junmyeon smiles widely at that. Jongin looks at them, confused, and he stares at Junmyeon with puppy eyes. His hair is dyed and it’s a beautiful gray color, it contrasts with his brown eyes. He’s a beautiful boy, though his hands aren’t as soft as the kids of his age. Working hard until late hours every day, sleeping for a whole year in the streets, killing for the living, these tasks hardened not only his fingers but also his heart. He’s loyal to his friends, doing anything he can to protect them, and that means that when it comes to enemies, he doesn’t hesitate before torturing someone if he has to.

 

“Hyung, why do you and Yixing keep things from us?” Jongin pouts, and Yixing laughs softly at that.

 

“Well, because it’s the administrative, boring stuff. Do you want to work with that?”

 

“No, but you should tell us anyway. Who are these guys?”

 

“Not my fault if you never pay attention to what we’re saying,” Junmyeon speaks, amused. “You’re better telling stories than me, Xing.”

 

“Only you three don’t know about this.” Yixing smiles, and he sips from his drink before continuing. “I used to have an ordinary life in China, I was studying to be a nurse, had a girlfriend, stuff like that. But my mom died, and suddenly I didn’t have money anymore. Luhan’s health was always terrible, ever since he was a child, and he got worse at that time. He needed to take his medicines, and I was desperate, I went underground and got some contacts. I started selling drugs and killing for money, telling myself that I would stop when Luhan got better.”

 

There’s a bitter smile on his lips; he’s gazing at a random spot on the wall, probably reviving that time. He’s only twenty-five (they are all so, so young), but there’s more blood in their hands than a butcher would have.

 

“But I earn so much and I wanted a better life for me and Luhan. He got involved too and some bad stuff happened, we had to flee to Korea. When I met Junmyeon, it was just me, Luhan, Yifan and Tao. Now you know how our little-broken family was born.”

 

“Where are they now? Why did they leave?” Kyungsoo asks, quite interested in what he has to say.

 

“That’s another story, for another day.” Yixing hums, getting up and ruffling Jongin’s hair. “Get some rest and keep your leg lifted as you sleep. You will be brand new in a few days.”

 

“Thanks, hyung.” Jongin mutters.

 

“I think all of us should go to bed,” Junmyeon suggests, gently moving Sehun away so he can get up. “Are you going to take care of Jongin?” He asks to him, but before he can even answer Kyungsoo pulls Jongin with him.

 

“I will take care of him, hyung,” Kyungsoo says, helping Jongin to walk to the room. He closes the door as soon as they enter.

 

“What did you do to get him that jealous?” Junmyeon sounds amused, and even Sehun smiles a little at that.

 

“In fact, I did nothing. He probably thinks I still have a crush on him.” He laughs at the idea. Jongin had been a good friend since they were ten and he loves him dearly. He wouldn’t deny that their feelings got mixed up sometimes, but he knew Jongin loved Kyungsoo and he wanted to see him happy, so he just let them be.

 

Kissing Junmyeon’s cheek, he drags himself to the room he shares with Baekhyun and Chanyeol. He stands in front of the door, waiting for a few seconds before he’s sure they aren’t doing anything he wouldn’t like to see, and he enters the room, smiling when he sees them sleeping. Sehun’s bed is on the top bunk, Baekhyun sleeps in the lower bunk and Chanyeol has a bed for his own. Usually, Baekhyun would sneak into his boyfriend’s mattress in the middle of the night, but sometimes he needed some space.

 

It’s not difficult for him to fall asleep, mostly when the rain has started falling again, and the sound, even though it’s muffled by the concrete, calms him down. He never dreams, there is only darkness surrounding him, and he had tried the drugs he sold some times in order to dream. It worked, but Sehun didn’t want to become dependant on it.

 

Living on the streets cause Sehun to be a light sleeper, and he wakes up when he hears someone sniffling. He stares at the ceiling, just wanting to be sure that this is what he thinks it is, and he finally jumps from his bunk, noticing that it’s Baekhyun who’s making that sounds. Without asking, Sehun gets under the blankets, wrapping an arm around the older boy and bringing him close to him. He kisses his forehead, noticing how warm it is, and he’s sweating, his breath is quick and thick.

 

“Nightmare?” Sehun mutters, getting a nod as an answer. Even though Sehun is the younger one, he always gets up to calm him down, since Chanyeol won’t wake up until it’s midday. “It’s okay; I’m here. They can’t hurt you anymore.” He soothes, holding him until he falls asleep again. It doesn’t take too long, but Sehun doesn’t go back to his bed, liking to cuddle with the other boy.

 

Sehun has been close to Baekhyun since the first day, the latter being the one who carried him in his arms and stood beside him, watching his fever and feeding him. He used to be the only one, back then, who talked to him as he was still isolated in the room. Therefore, it was tough and stressing for Sehun when Baekhyun was kidnapped by the rival gang, tapes of him being tortured were sent to them, and Sehun is glad that he didn’t get to watch it. They asked ten million, and Junmyeon didn’t want to risk losing Baekhyun, so he didn’t try to trick them. It was half of their total money, but it was their member who was suffering, and they wanted him back.

 

Yixing worked hard, treating Baekhyun as good as his abilities allowed him to, though he insisted that the best would take him to a hospital. He took a full month to recover, and he still had some scars on his body - scars that Chanyeol kisses every night.

 

Everyone thought that that would weaken Baekhyun, which he would be traumatized and would quit that life; but that only got him angrier, colder, and he didn’t care whether someone was squirming under his feet, begging for their life, or trying to fight back. If it were an enemy, then Baekhyun would shoot them in the middle of their eye. A quick, clean death. Baekhyun didn’t like having blood splashed in his clothes.

 

It was hard to wash the stains away.

 

 

**i.**

 

  
Yixing dresses up, fastening the knife to his belt, hiding one in the hem of his pants, and his revolver close to his stomach. Going out without carrying several weapons feels odd, almost as if he’s naked. Junmyeon and Jongdae are ready, all of them dressed in black, so they will probably pass unnoticed.

 

The sky is gray, and the warm sun hurts Yixing’s eyes. He usually doesn’t go outside, preferring the comfort of his underground shelter, but today they have business to deal with. The breeze blows his pitch black hair, and he combs his fringe with his fingers, trying to move his hair from his eyes. It’s quiet in the neighborhood where they live, the cry of a baby can be heard and a dog is barking, but that’s the only noises that fill the gloomy space. Their steps are silent; their feet are light as they walk, an old habit they’ve developed in order to surprise their enemy.

 

The dirty walls are marked by the spray paint, the word “EXO” written everywhere. The city is theirs, and they need to remind the people that they are the one who actually governs the town. A rival gang wouldn't dare to step in their territory; they recognize that EXO has the best, most skilled boys, and trying to invade their home would be the same than signing their death certificate. Their empire wasn't built in a day, though; it was a slow process of getting allies and clients until they became the biggest drug dealers in the country.

 

A poster is glued to a light pole, the face of a young boy staring it. He has big, dark eyes, a cute nose, and small, curved pink lips; his hair is light brown, a bit messy. There is a short profile under the picture, the name “Luhan” is written in big capital letters and Yixing takes it off the wall, ripping it apart. He wishes he could burn all those stupid papers, erase the “WANTED” word printed in red. The police are looking for his brother; well, it’s been looking for his gang too, but Luhan has a price over his head. He knows he’s safe, though, so he isn’t afraid he will get caught.

 

The walk to the abandoned road takes half an hour, the masks they use on their face help to camouflage them with ordinary people. There is a path to the forest, which is insurmountable if you don’t know the shortcut. There are two ways of doing this: going through the river or underground. The former major had decided to build a tunnel, but it was deactivated due to how dangerous it was. Technically, they shouldn't use it, but it’s a better choice than swimming in the icy water.

 

“Do we really have to go through this way?” Jongdae asks and Yixing nods, pushing him gently and then moving to the hole in the ground, jumping and getting inside. It’s not high, and there is not a rope or something to help them.

 

It’s just a meeting to discuss business, but they can’t risk being caught, mostly when they are going to deal with Japan biggest gang: Yazuka. Yixing has been trying to contact them for a long time, yet it was Yifan who got them a deal. Buying drugs from them was surprisingly cheap since they had their factory. Maybe in the future, EXO would be able to have one as well.

 

The flashlight reveals a man’s shape and Junmyeon stops, motioning to them to do the same. There’s a soft smile on his lips, though they can’t see due to the black pitch darkness.

 

“Kouyou-san?” Junmyeon calls, in a polite voice, and the other nods. “We are here to discuss the details of the delivery.”

 

“We have a ship and an agreement with the police so that we can enter Korea,” Kouyou answers, glad that Junmyeon’s Japanese is decent enough for them to hold a conversation.

 

“Great. We will pay a day after we receive it.”

 

“You better pay, Kim.” He groans. “Don’t try to fool us.”

 

“I’m a man of my word.” Junmyeon sounds rather amused, still smirking at Kouyou.

 

“I hope so,” Kouyou mutters, and he reaches for his hand, locking a USB pen in his fingers. “All the information you need is here. We meet tomorrow.”

 

With those words, Kouyou leaves, and Yixing frowns slightly. He thought the ‘meeting’ would be longer, and he’s amazed by how technology can short things up. Tugging on Jongdae’s hand, he starts walking the way back.

 

It’s an important step, getting allied to the Yazuka. Their gang has people in China, working for them, and having drug dealers in Japan will help them get bigger. The nine head members are safer as EXO keeps growing up, as they become a legend, almost if they are unreachable. After all, there is a long line and an impossible path to cross before anyway can see them. Only the leaders keep contact with them, though sometimes they still get caught in ambushes.

 

The way back is calm and quiet, their footsteps are muffled by the mud, and it starts raining again. Luckily, they are up to the stairs as the raindrops begin to fall and they manage to escape from the upcoming storm.

 

“How was it?” Kyungsoo asks them before they can even enter.

 

“It was all right. We will meet at a warehouse in Hongdae, tomorrow night.” Yixing informs as he takes his shoes off. “I have work to do. How is Jongin?”

 

“He is okay; your healing skills are impressive.”

 

A confident smile dances on Yixing’s lips before he excuses himself and goes to his room, starting to work on the USB. Junmyeon sits on the couch as Jongdae makes important calls, and Sehun comes closer to him, nuzzling his shoulder.

 

“All nine of us are coming tomorrow, right?” He questions him, smiling when the older nods. Sehun hates to be left behind; it makes him worry about them.

 

“It’s going to be an easy trade, but I want their team to meet ours. It’s no problem Jongin is hurt; I expect it to be fast and clean.” Junmyeon explains.

 

“I want all the head members to know our boys,” Yixing says, and it’s a usual procedure he likes to take. Every time they make a new ally, he brings all the main members with him so that they can know their faces. Plus, he wants them to be able to recognize them if they ever betray them.

 

 

**ii.**

 

  
It’s unusual, but the atmosphere is rather gloomy and quiet, as though someone has died already. The nine boys inside the van are silent as Junmyeon drives to the location; Kyungsoo is busy on his phone, texting to someone, and Sehun tries to play a game to distract himself. It’s an abandoned place, as expected, and it’s hard to find it in the map Kouyou gave them.

 

“It’s here,” Yixing mutters, raising his eyes from the screen to the horizon. The barn is apparently destroyed, the ceiling is broken and missing a few pieces, but it’s located far enough for anyone to pay a visit. Yixing assumes this shed exists only for this kind of situations when the mafia needs a place big enough for a truck to enter and distant enough for it leaves unseen. Junmyeon parks the van outside, signing for them to follow him.

 

“Jinki will arrive in a couple of minutes,” Kyungsoo informs him, knocking the door shut. “We just have to call him.”

 

“Great,” Junmyeon comments, and he has his gun in his hands. The breaches break with their steps, Chanyeol scolds Baekhyun for some unknown reason, and they start walking into the building. There is, however, a faint noise of a rough voice, and Junmyeon grabs Kyungsoo wrist, pulling him back. “Who is there?”

 

The dry sound of a bullet being shot is heard, and Sehun pushes Jongin away, making him fall, avoiding the shot. All the boys grab their weapon and hold it in place, getting in formation. Junmyeon can hear the noisy breathing coming from Yixing as he sticks to him, making sure to protect each other.

 

“Damn.” He curses low as Baekhyun fires his gun, hitting someone. A man yells, and Baekhyun laughs loud. His eyes are precise like a lynx, as he can see in the darkness, and he shoots again, apparently seeing their enemy.

 

“You are outnumbered! Go and hide like a fucking coward, Joowun!” Baekhyun screams, recklessly running into the barn, causing the other boys to follow him. Surprisingly, the other gang goes back, trying to find shelter in ruins.

 

It’s all so fast; in a moment, they are getting into the building, and in the next second, there is smoke everywhere after the sound of a near explosion. The gas burns his eyes, making tears escape and it feels like his lungs are on fire. Baekhyun can’t see, but he still has his gun in his hands, ready to shoot anything that moves in front of him.

 

“It’s a trap,” Yixing warns them, and he holds Chanyeol’s arm, who quickly escapes from his grip and runs to where Baekhyun is, holding his breath. Blindly groping in the air, he manages to grab Baekhyun’s shoulder, desperately trying to pull him back. Whatever this smoke is made of, it is enough to make him dizzy, and he can only think of how vulnerable they are.

 

Sehun is in the back with Jongin and even though he didn’t enter the barn yet, he can’t abandon his friends. He wasn’t hit by the bomb, and he looks at the van, who is just a few meters away.

 

“Jongin, help them, I will get the van so we can get the hell out of here.” He says, exasperated, as everything just goes severely wrong and he wonders what happened to all the training they went through. Kyungsoo somehow got into that mess too, Minseok and Jongdae seemingly forgot all the lessons they had and they start shooting in the darkness, each step they give is closer to the spreading smoke and instinctively they keep walking, probably thinking the poison is already gone and they can take Chanyeol and Baekhyun of that chaos.

 

In a fraction of a second, there is another bomb thrown in Sehun’s direction, and Jongin pulls him back, grabbing him by his collar and the gas spreads quickly through all the place. Even Junmyeon, who is always so careful, loses his rational thought as he sees their youngest falling in the ground, and he shoots in the door’s direction, as he believes that there is someone outside too.

 

As if that weren’t enough, there is a glaring light coming from the ceiling, and all the warehouse is suddenly too bright for them to keep their eyes open. They can hear a helicopter flying over the broken ceiling and the sound of boots running to where they are cause them to finally feel afraid.

 

“Put your hands where we can see! You are under arrest!” A man screams and Junmyeon feels sheerly stupid, his knees give up and he falls o the dirty floor. His head is spinning, and he groans as he sees Baekhyun being taken away, his slim body dragged carelessly by those rude old men.

 

All the empire they build is still safe, Junmyeon thinks as Yixing surrenders beside him, his thin wrists are roughly held and cuffed. But what will be of EXO without their leaders? His mind is blurred as he fights to be conscious and he keeps asking himself what happened. While counting the possible mistakes in his head, the burning darkness finally embraces him, and he passes out in the middle of that white disaster.

 

 

 

The feeling of having his wrists tied is always foreign to Junmyeon, and when he opens his eyes, he realizes he’s in an unknown place. It’s a big jail, enough for all nine of them to be, and he is still dizzy as he tries to walk closer to the others. Baekhyun is still asleep, as well as Chanyeol, but the rest of them is awake, looking disoriented and lost. Junmyeon moves closer to Yixing, sitting beside him, and he watches his face. Yixing has a small cut on his lower lip, his eyes are still red, and he seems exhausted; yet, he looks fine. All of them do.

 

“Where are we?” Junmyeon asks, groaning in frustration as his hands are restrained, and moving is harder than it should be.

 

“Seoul’s police department.” Yixing answers, swallowing and looking at him. “The news are we are arrested, and they managed to capture Kouyou as well, what makes me think it wasn’t the Yakuza who betrayed us.”

 

“They are discussing our sentence. It seems we are too valuable for them to discard simply… And I thought we were going to die.” Jongdae speaks, his voice is rough and Junmyeon wonders for how long they have been there.

 

Kyungsoo peers at him and he is the one who looks the best right now. There are no visible injuries, probably he didn’t try to fight back and surrendered to the cops. He is leaning on Jongin’s shoulder, Sehun is sitting away from them, and Junmyeon assumes the youngest doesn’t want to annoy Kyungsoo. Minseok is quiet too, gazing at the wall.

 

“Is everyone okay?” Junmyeon asks, glancing around and receiving tiny smiles as an answer.

 

“Baekhyun and Chanyeol inhaled the gas directly when the bomb exploded,” Sehun mutters, raising his eyes and sighing.

 

The floor is icy, and it’s a chilly night, but they don’t get any blankets. Junmyeon nods at Sehun’s affirmation, and he clings to Yixing, wanting to get warmer. Clumsily they manage to hug each other, though it’s uncomfortable because of the cuffs. His thoughts are racing in his mind, and he keeps asking himself what happened.

 

The only possible explanation is that Joowun is working with the police, but how did he know the location of the meeting? It makes his head hurt even more, and for now, he decides to focus on getting better. He needs to be strong and to elaborate an escape plan because he knows they are in danger here. Closing his eyes, he listens to Yixing’s voice, who hums a Chinese song, and that’s enough for him to fall asleep.

 

The next time Junmyeon wakes up, he sees Baekhyun sitting down and his eyes are swollen. He has been crying - whether from sadness or anger - and he can’t even try to hide it. Before he can say anything, the sound of keys make Junmyeon turnaround, and he sees the police officer standing right there. He opens the door, grabbing Baekhyun by his collar and making him stand up.

 

“You killed one of our men.” He groans, and he hits his stomach with his knee, causing Baekhyun to yelp and lose his balance. The man looks around; he has a smile on his face because he is going to be promoted, and he laughs. “People say you were a legend; I expected more from you boys.” He says, and he lets Baekhyun go, rubbing his hand on his clothes, as though he wants to clean them. “Get up, all of you. You have a trial now.”

 

They might be furious, but they are not stupid, they know disobeying isn’t the best option right now, and they do as he asks, following him. Baekhyun still has problems walking, and the guards hold him, almost dragging him along the corridor. There is a black, big door, and when the officer pushes it, Junmyeon is blinded by the flashes of several cameras. They are all forced to stand as they take pictures of them, and they ignore all the questions coming from them. Junmyeon can imagine the magazines and newspapers, filled by crap and sensationalism, an image drawn by the reporters who don’t even know them. They are pictured like monsters, accused of crimes they didn’t commit, and Junmyeon is aware of all that. He might be the one who commands the murderers, but it’s not his hand who gets dirty by the blood, and somehow his consciousness is clear.

 

Five minutes pass by before they are finally coerced to walk forward, this time the journey takes more than a few seconds, and Junmyeon doesn’t even try to memorize his steps. He gazes at the giant door which gives access to the courtroom, and he is certainly surprised when they are forced to keep walking, going down the stairs and getting to the sub solo. There is a black van stepped right there and Baekhyun widens his eyes, refusing to move. Chanyeol watches as his boyfriend is dragged and forced to enter it, sitting beside him with his hands tied. He leans his head on his shoulder, trembling slightly as they start to drive.

 

Looking at each other, they want to ask the same question: what the fuck is going on? They know it’s useless, though, because they don’t have any idea of what’s happening. Junmyeon looks at Yixing, who looks somehow calm, staring at Baekhyun, and he sighs. The only sound, besides the vehicle’s noises, is Baekhyun’s sobs, along with Chanyeol voice, who whispers some comforting words into his ear. Sehun holds Baekhyun’s fingers, in a reassuring sign, and he knows why Baekhyun is terrified. He told him about his nightmares, which consists mostly of getting kidnapped again.

 

The van comes to a brusk stop, and there is some mumbling outside before the door is opened. Kyungsoo gets up, walking outside, and he encourages Jongin to do the same. The other boys aren’t so cooperative, causing the guards to roughly pull them, bringing them to a parking lot.

 

The place is vast, there are some cars parked as well, and it would look like a regular garage if the walls and the floor weren’t white. They are forced to walk again, and Junmyeon concludes this is a building, once they start climbing the stairs, which look like won’t ever end. There is a large corridor, so silent that Junmeyon can swear he can hear his own breath, his heart pulsing and his blood flowing through his veins. There is another door, and when the guard pushes it, they all widen their eyes.

It’s a giant hall, so white that their eyes hurt, the floor and the walls are cushioned, and there are several cells. Junmyeon could expect that they would go to jail, but this doesn’t look like Seoul’s prison; it’s too clean, too tidy, and it smells like antiseptic. One by one, they are freed from their restraints and forced into the tiny cages, despite Baekhyun’s loud cries. Junmyeon is locked up with Yixing and Sehun, and it hurts him not to know where the others are.

 

“Hyung.” Sehun calls, sitting down and hugging his knees. Junmyeon glances at him, and his brain is still processing all of this. They are not on the court as they should be, they aren’t being judged, and as long as he knows, every citizen has the right of trying to defend himself. “What the hell?”

 

“I don’t know.” Yixing answers instead, sitting beside him and leaning his head on the wall, sighing deeply. “I… I have never heard of this place. I don’t even know what this is.”

 

“We might discover soon,” Junmyeon mutters and he finally moves away from the bars, sitting down and burying his hands in his hair, fighting with his own mind, wishing his feelings to shut up, so he will be able to think straight. “We need to find out where the boys are; then we need to plan our escape.”

 

“I believe we will have to endure this for a while before it’s safe to run away,” Yixing says, gazing at the wall. “Luhan needs some time to realize what happened and to arrange everything.”

 

Junmyeon just hums in agreement, and he gazes at Sehun, patting the floor beside him. “Come here.” He coos, wrapping an arm around him, holding him. “You know we are invincible, so don’t be afraid, mm?”

 

“I’m not scared; I’m worried about Baekhyun. I don’t want them to hurt him.” Sehun speaks, sighing. He is happy he is with Junmyeon because he is the most strong and smart one, but a part of him wished he was with Baekhyun. He knows the only thing he is afraid of is being arrested and tortured again; they all remember very well how it was when they watched that tape, watching just a few moments of his torment… Definitely, Sehun can’t let this happen again.

 

Feeling powerless is one of the worst feelings ever, Sehun concludes as he lays down, his body and soul are exhausted, and he wishes he can take some sleep.

 

It’s obvious he can’t, and the following moments become a blur in his mind. He doesn’t have any idea of how long they’ve been there, whether a whole night or day passed before someone comes to their tiny cell, and Sehun feels rather relieved than terrified. He prefers to have information than to be left in the dark (literally) like he is now.

 

A tall girl is in front of them, carrying a clipboard in her hands, her perfect pink nails tapping on its superficies, and she watches them. She looks young, on her 30’s, and the white fits her well, unlike the two men beside her.

 

“Mr. Oh, could you please get up?” She asks as one of the guards open the cell. None of them are stupid to try to attack and run away, so Yixing and Junmyeon just look at them, not moving. Sehun obeys, and when he gets up, he is roughly grabbed by the man, being forced to leave his friends. “There is no need to be harsh, officer.” She adds, smiling gently and she holds Sehun’s wrist instead, guiding him through the corridor.

 

Sehun looks around as he walks, but it seems most cells are empty and the only person he sees is Minseok, who is apparently deeply sleeping. It makes him worry because he has no idea where the other boys are, and he can only fear for the worse. It feels like an eternity of whiteness and hurried steps until she coats him to enter a room. She points to a chair and closes the door, so she is alone with him, and she sits in front of him, still smiling.

 

“I’m Hanee.” She introduces herself, crossing her legs and resting the clipboard on her lap. She grabs a pen, scribbling down some words before she looks up. “You-”

 

“Aren’t you afraid of being alone with me?” Sehun asks, looking at her face, and he is indeed curious. This room looks like a hospital one, there is even a stretcher in there, what reminds him of all the times he got ill and his mom took him to the doctor. “I mean, I’m not tied up, I’m a criminal, and you’re just a girl. I could easily kill you.”

 

“Mr. Oh, if that’s how you would like things to work, I have no problem in tying you up and making sure you will cooperate.” She answers, watching him with eerie eyes. “But I like when I can be myself with my patients and do my work right until it allows me to do so.”

 

“Patients?” Sehun repeats, licking his dry lips and frowning. “Is this a hospital?”

 

“Not really,” Hani replies, her voice is calm and clear, although she is observing him. “I want to help you, Sehun, and you need my help. I would like if you could think of me as a friend.”

 

“I don’t need your help.” He mutters, starting to get annoyed, and he doesn’t like when she uses his name.

 

“Ah, but you do.” She says, almost amused as it’s clear he is frustrated and irritated. “You are a criminal, a mentally ill boy, a threat to society. You can be useful to us, though, and that’s why you’re here.”

 

“I’m none of these things,” Sehun states, gritting his teeth.

 

“You’ve been accused of selling drugs, murdering and torturing several people, among other ten crimes. I’m sure you are not normal, Sehun.” Hanee points out and smiles. “I believe people like you should be removed from society, in order to keep our country in peace, but human rights don’t allow this. We need to learn how to cure you then, so you can get back fixed and renewed.”

 

“I’m not sitting here and listening to this bullshit,” Sehun says, getting up. “Do you think I have this life because I want to? Are you really this stupid?”

 

“I think it’s comfortable for you, and you do get a lot of money from it,” Hanee replies, and even though she seems relaxed in her chair, she tucks one hand in her lab coat’s pocket, firmly grabbing something. “You chose this life.”

 

“You don’t know me,” Sehun growls, wondering what he should do. It’s easy to put her down, but could he manage to run and try to save his brothers?

 

“Then let me know you, Mr Oh.” Her voice is composed, and she stares into his eyes, not showing any signs of fear. “I would like you to collaborate with me. I have other ways to make you do so, but your other friends are already taking that therapy’s line, and I need to try the peaceful way with someone. All you have to do is talk to me.”

 

Hanee gets up too, sighing.

 

“I wished our session to be longer, but you need to think and decide what’s best for you.” She takes a small taser from her pocket, and motions with her head for him to come closer. “Please, walk with me, I really don’t want to use this again.”

 

“Again?”

 

“Your friend Baekhyun has a lot of anger in him,” Hanee explains. “Unfortunately, he is going to have a hard time in here.”

 

Although Sehun is furious by the mention of Baekhyun, he complies and walks peacefully back to his jail. Yixing is not there and Junmyeon is the next to go to Hanee’s office, so Sehun is left alone. He thinks about everything, trying to weigh his options, to pick the best strategy. Maybe fighting back isn’t the wisest choice, perhaps if he gets her trust he can escape somehow. It’s odd, though, the whole explanation and story Hanee told him, as though they are really interested in ‘curing’ him. It might be true and it could easily be taken as a good idea, but as far as Sehun knows human experimentation is not legal anywhere.

 

There is a lot of money invested on this; the place seems huge, there are other prisoners Sehun doesn’t know and probably hundred doctors and staff. It is invisible, however, and the media has never talked about this organization. It is supposedly financed by the government, but how does this project be so secret? Sehun assumes it’s because if anyone finds out, it will probably be taken down.

 

Lost in his thoughts, he doesn’t notice Junmyeon is back until he touches his knee softly, sitting by his side. Sehun looks up, leaning on him.

 

“I assume she let you choose,” Junmyeon mutters, running his fingers slowly through the threads of his hair. “I guess the wisest choice to make is to cooperate.”

 

“I was thinking about that,” Sehun answers, getting closer to him. “Maybe if we behave she will let us see the boys.”

 

“Maybe.” Junmyeon agrees, and he takes a deep breath, leaning his head on the wall and closing his eyes. He wonders how the gang members are without their main leaders; there is going to be a war soon, in which they will fight for the power, probably thinking the nine boys are lost for ever. “Hanee said they told the media we were all sentenced to death.”

 

“You mean they all believe we are dead?” Sehun asks, widening his eyes.

 

“Yeah. It seems everyone that is here is dead to the world.” Junmyeon speaks, his fingers stop moving as he sighs, and he pulls Sehun closer. “They will suck the life out of us, use us until we are dry and have nothing more to give them.”

 

“We have to do something.” Sehun gasps, and for the first time, he feels afraid. If Luhan thinks they are dead, he won’t rescue them; no one will save them. “I don’t want to die… not here.”

 

“We will escape, Sehun, but at the right time. Don’t lose your hope. We’ve been through worse.”

 

“Have we?” Sehun asks, but the silence is his only answer. Junmyeon is seemingly asleep after a few minutes, and Sehun wonders how he can rest in such a position. He moves away so he can lay down and he crawls to the bars, looking around. There are several cages, some of them have people he doesn’t know, though he can recognize some faces from the news.

 

There is nothing for him to do to pass the time, and he just sits down, watching the move around. He can hear Minseok’s voice, what warms his heart a little bit, but he doesn’t say anything, not wanting to wake Junmyeon up. There is another voice, which he identifies as Jongdae’s, and it seems he is talking about Chanyeol, who is unconscious in their jail.

 

It is great to know three of them are right beside him, but Sehun is severely concerned about Baekhyun, Jongin and Kyungsoo. He is starting to worry about Yixing as well, since he hasn’t come back yet, and he can’t help but picture all the possible scenarios that could happen to them. Obviously, it’s not the best thing to do, mostly when he falls asleep and have nightmares about these thoughts. They are all dead, and Sehun wakes up when Hanee shoots him, killing him in his dream.

 

Disturbed by those visions, Sehun is panting and sweating cold, and he takes a few moments to locate himself. He is surprised when he sees there is a third person in the cell, and he almost moans in relief when he sees it’s Baekhyun. He is resting his head on Junmyeon’s lap, shivering softly and passed out.

 

“They brought him this morning,” Junmyeon explains, and he looks at Sehun, sighing. “He is drugged, they are testing on him.”

 

“Fuck.” Sehun curses, moving closer and he kneels down, touching Baekhyun’s face. He is icy and white, his flawless skin is adorned by faint bruises, and his lips are split by a scabbed cut. Sehun feels angry, and when he starts swearing out loud, Junmyeon stops him with a harsh tone.

 

“You have to behave, Sehun. I don’t know why they let Baek stay with us… We can’t risk to lose him.”

 

“I know.” Sehun gasps, and he wipes his eyes furiously. “They are fucking playing with us; it makes me so angry!”

 

“Then let’s play with them too. We have to be smarter.” Junmeyon points out, and he rests his hand on Sehun’s shoulder, reassuringly squeezing it. “Yixing will come back soon, and we will be able to think of an escaping plan.”

 

Nodding, Sehun stays quiet, rubbing Baekhyun’s hands and doing his best to keep him warm. Gratitude and love are the words that describe his feelings toward Baekhyun the best, once he was the one who took care of him when he was feverish and hallucinating. They have been friends since the first day, and all the times Jongin failed him Baekhyun was still there. Sehun never felt any attraction, it was a sheer brotherly love, unlike his relationship with Jongin.

 

Sometimes, he feels selfish, and he despises Kyungsoo, blaming him for their sinking friendship. Things certainly changed when Jongin started dating him, mostly because Kyungsoo is jealous and he doesn’t like when Jongin gets too clingy with Sehun, even after the latter assured him a thousand times they were just past fuck buddies. It annoys him intensely, but he can’t come to hate Kyungsoo, what only makes things even more challenging. Even now Sehun still worries with him, and he wishes he is not injured, that he is taking care of Jongin and being good for him like he always is.

 

“Mr Oh” A voice calls and Sehun easily notices it is Hanee. He sighs and bites his lips, moving away from Baekhyun and looking at her. He still has a defiant look on his face and she writes something in her notebook, gazing at him. “Please come with me.”

 

This time, she doesn’t scold the guards when they hold him too firmly, and he looks around, finding out Chanyeol is missing from his cell. He manages to make eye contact with Jongdae and Minseok, but he doesn’t say anything as he coerced to walk hurriedly beside Hanee. Sehun has a good memory, and he has already learned that path, so he is surprised when they turn right instead of left. He is welcomed by a giant white screen, and he sees Chanyeol is sitting down, tied to an armchair.

 

Before he can even say anything, Sehun is tied up beside Chanyeol, his neck is locked around a collar that stops him from moving, and the door is closed, leaving them alone with Hanee and the other two guards. One of them grabs his face and Sehun whines low as they clamp his eyes open.

 

“We start your treatment today, misters.” Hanee says as she presses a button on the remote control, turning the projector on. “You like to hurt and make other people suffer, but have you ever thought they have a family, friends that love them? I know you don’t, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.” She adds and smiles amused. “Unfortunately, some of you only learn after watching it.”

 

An image appears on screen and Sehun holds his breath when he sees the dirty walls and the boy trapped in the wood chair.

 

“No, no, not that.” He hears Chanyeol words, and he can’t look away, he can’t close his eyes, he can’t do anything. It seems his voice has died in his throat and he can’t say anything, too paralyzed by fear and trauma.

 

“It seems we got your friend.” The man on the video says, grabbing the boy’s hair and pulling it, forcing him to look at the camera. Sehun gasps when Baekhyun is slapped, being told to keep his eyes open. “We think you need an incentive to save him. Maybe this will help.”

 

The sharp sound of Baekhyun’s scream as the man stabs his shoulder chills up to his spine and he can feel Chanyeol’s agony as he keeps asking Hanee to turn that off. Sehun pulls away, squirming in his chair, and his eyes hurt as they are firmly trapped in that device. This can’t be happening again, that tape had been destroyed, how do they have that thing? His thoughts are cut by Baekhyun’s pleas and cries, Sehun feels like he is the one who is being tortured and he doesn’t realize he is begging out loud until his mouth feels dry.

 

It is horrible to watch this again, to listen to Baekhyun’s painful screams and to see him covered in blood, to look at his tearful eyes. It has half an hour, and Hanee doesn’t turn it off until it ends with Baekhyun fainting, the man asking for ten million and the screen going black. Their eyes are finally released, and Sehun closes them, as though he can wipe the memories of his mind. Chanyeol is crying, and Sehun is too shocked to react.

 

“I expect you to think about what you saw and to talk to me about your feelings,” Hanee says, smiling, and she motions with her head, asking the guards to take them back to their cell. Sehun bites his lower lip, gazing at Chanyeol and he feels powerless. Junmyeon told him that they should play their game if they wanted to try to escape, but it is hard when he hates all these people so much.

 

The first thing he does when he gets back to his jail is to hold Baekhyun tight, ignoring his confused look and he wishes he could protect him from everything. His screams are still reverberating and echoing in his head, and he tries to muffle them with his sobs.

 

“Sehunnie?” Baekhyun asks, his voice is quivering and drowsy.

 

“They had that tape,” Sehun whispers after a long time, looking at Junmyeon. “We destroyed that thing, how do they have it?”

 

Baekhyun pulls away a little when he realizes what he is talking about, and Junmyeon stays quiet, probably wondering if there is any chance someone would have a copy of that.

 

“The only possible explanation is that they arrested those men and they had the original tape,” Junmyeon says.

 

“There is something very odd happening” Sehun mutters, wiping his eyes and looking at Junmyeon. “This is just like the trap we fell in. No one knew about the meeting…”

 

“What are you suggesting?” Baekhyun asks, and Sehun finally looks at him. Despite the bruises, he looks okay, and Sehun knows he is not fragile. Baekhyun is strong enough to endure all the hardships and suffering that the world imposes on him, without losing his inner strength. It’s a good thing that he 's hard to break; it gives them time to elaborate a decent escape plan.

 

“I don’t know.” Sehun sighs. “Maybe someone is leaking information…”

 

“That’s impossible, Sehun,” Junmyeon speaks, staring at him. “From us nine, no one would ever betray each other. We are like family.”

 

“I know that it’s just… It’s the easiest conclusion.”

 

A deep silence falls over them, and Sehun stares at the metal bars, trying his best to keep his mind occupied and to ignore the screams that are still repeating in his head. He can’t help, however, to ponder about what Junmyeon said, and it makes sense. They are all trapped in this place, so perhaps there is a spy in their meetings, a very talented agent that wouldn’t be seen. Sehun nods to himself, assuring his heart that they are family and that they are together in this.

 

It’s weird when they are allowed to leave the cell and go to a hall to have lunch. They aren’t wearing handcuffs and there are armed guards everywhere, ready to shoot anyone who doesn’t act like an obedient dog. They sit with Minseok, Jongdae and Chanyeol, and it’s really good to be able to talk to them after so long. Well, it’s not been a week, but it feels like an eternity.

 

“Did you see Yixing?” Junmyeon asks them. “He was taken yesterday and he is not back yet.”

 

“Sorry.” Jongdae answers, sighing. “There is no sign of him, Jongin and Kyungsoo.”

 

“I believe they are sharing a cell in another pavilion.” Minseok opines.

 

They all nod and go quiet, eating their food silently. It’s not safe to discuss anything here, not when the guards stare at them, playing with the locked trigger just to potentially scare them. The walls have ears in a place like this, and the entire hall is filled by small, muffled voices.

 

“I saw Joowun this morning.” Jongdae blurts out, munching the rice. “He is in this facility as well. I’ve recognized a few men too.”

 

“This is indeed a prison.” Minseok agrees, lazily playing with a chicken bone. “They just do human experimentation as well.”

 

“They drugged me yesterday,” Baekhyun says for the first time, gazing at his untouched meal. “It seems they are testing new medicines. The pharmaceutical industry needs someone to test on and we are useless to society, so the government is giving us for free.”

 

“It’s not just that.” Sehun comments, gnawing on his lips. “It’s experimental therapy as well. They forced me and Chanyeol to watch that tape again.”

 

Chanyeol drops his fork and gasps. It’s not a pleasant memory, and he feels sick to his stomach when Sehun mentions it.

 

“Basically, we are their lab rats,” Minseok concludes, ignoring Sehun’s statement as none of them are comfortable with that topic. “I think we should behave like they want us to, do every fucking thing they ask, earn their trust and have this small privileges we have now.”

 

Before any of them can answer, there is a loud beep, and they all get in line, being transported back to their cages. Looking back, Sehun can see there is another queue entering the hall, what means that there is indeed other sections in the building. This time, they are given a blanket, since it’s getting chilly at night, and Baekhyun cuddles with him, getting warm. The older boy mutters some words to him, blabbing about random happy days, keeping his mind away from the terrifying visions. It works as they manage to take some sleep, and for a second Sehun can pretend they are at home, safe and together.

 

 

 

 **iii**.

 

 

When Yixing was a little boy, he used to be afraid of the dark. Now, he feels like a rat, trapped in a tiny cage, being kept without any light and having small portions of rice as a meal. It’s been two days since he was taken away from Junmyeon and Sehun, and he can’t help but worry about them. He is sure they are not being treated nicely, so he can only hope that they are still alive and not too damaged.

 

A beep sound announces the door being opened and Yixing sees someone coming in. Jongin is passed out on the small couch, Yixing can barely see his face, but he knows it is him. He wonders what they are doing to him because every day he seems to be worse, to be weaker and slower. Someone sits down, reaching his face and cupping it, tenderly caressing it.

 

“You are a work of art, Jongin.” The man says though the only answer he gets is a small groan. “You might hate me now, but you are going to make science with me. We will be on the history

books.”

 

“...why…” Jongin mumbles, his breath is uneven, and he is evidently drugged.

 

“You need to be preserved, as the masterpiece you are.” He answers, and Yixing thinks about what he means. It’s not the first time he hears this man saying this kind of things to Jongin, and Yixing finds it truly odd as he talks as though Jongin is a porcelain doll. Jongin isn’t even being kept in jail, Yixing knows that he has a particular room, and that’s just too strange. As far as he knows, this place is trying to find a cure to the criminal gene, as they call, and the man’s words don't make any sense.

 

Slowly moving, Yixing tries to stretch his muscles, since he’s been in the same uncomfortable position for hours already. It's a bad idea, because the man gets up, kneeling down and looking at him. He is wearing a mask, so Yixing can’t see him, but his eyes are familiar, and he bites his lips hard, not wanting to believe that.

 

“I see you’re awake.” He starts, unlocking the door of his cage and pulling the chain from his neck, forcing him to crawl like a dog. “Come.” He calls, and he pulls it harder, causing Yixing to choke, he feels like he can’t breathe for a whole second. He has no choice but obeys, and as he follows him, scratching his knees as he is forced to walk fast.

 

They enter a small room, with only a chair and a table, besides a small cabinet in which Yixing can see several shining metal objects in it. He looks at the man, gasping as he realizes who he is, and he whines when he has his hair grabbed tightly.

 

“So, we’ve arrested all EXO leaders.” He starts, staring into his eyes. “But there is three left. Lu Han, Zi Tao and Wu Yifan. I want you to tell me where they are.”

 

He remains silent even after he punches him, and he spits the blood on the ground, feeling his cheek burn. There is no way he will tell where Luhan is (anyway, he doesn’t know it precisely) and he has been through worse, he tells himself. Yixing keeps thinking of how he would give his life for Luhan as the man tries to rip the truth of him, as he dirties Yixing’s clothes and fills the room with the metallic scent.

 

Yixing needs to pass out so the other gives him a few seconds to rest. His mind keeps screaming at him, saying that this can’t be happening, and he hates himself because he can’t do anything now. He thinks of Jongin, who is certainly in danger, he thinks of the other boys, of Luhan, but he doesn’t think of the situation he is facing in that exact instant, he ignores the sharp pain and the growing burning sensation that involves his body more and more. It feels like he is crying bloody tears and when he is left alone, back to his cage, he doesn’t hold his sobs back.

 

It’s what he should expect, being tortured and interrogated, but that’s not what hurts the most. It’s feeling powerless, not having anything that he could do, and having his hands tied firmly when every chance is beyond his reach. He thinks of Junmyeon, wondering if he is suffering the same, he thinks of Sehunnie and Baekhyun, of Minseok and Jongdae, of how afraid they must be feeling, of how stupid they must be feeling right now. It is evident they would feel this way; they used to be invincible, and nothing could stop them. But they are in a metal cage, being trapped and tested like animals.

 

“Yixing?” A voice calls and Yixing looks around, seeing that Jongin has awakened. His eyes are red and swollen; he bites his chapped lips as he looks at him. “What… what are you doing here?”

 

“It seems we are important, Jongin. They want us away from everyone.” Yixing explains, and he sighs, moving a little so he can have a better view. “Are you okay?”

 

“I don’t know… I’m just numb.” Jongin answers and he look rather childish this way, dressing an oversized white shirt, his hair is a mess, and he is bare feet. “Where is Sehun?”

 

“You shouldn’t talk about Sehun.” Yixing adverts him, though his voice is soft and gentle. “You don’t want him to get mad at you, do you?”

 

Shaking his head, Jongin reaches for Yixing’s hand, touching it with his fingers.

 

“I know something is terribly wrong. I’m… I’m afraid.” Jongin mutters, caressing his skin absently, staring at a random spot on the wall. “I’m afraid he will do something to me.”

 

“Hey, don’t worry. I promise I will get us out of here.” He whispers, sighing.

 

Yixing knows he shouldn’t make promises he can’t keep and he starts a light conversation with Jongin, trying to distract him. It seems he is heavily drugged because Jongin is quite slow and he is having trouble in paying attention, but Yixing just wants him to stay awake. He holds his hand with his fingers, what is a bit hard since his wrists are cuffed, and he thinks about the first time he saw Jongin. It is true he is a masterpiece, he has this power of always looking incredible, and he has this charisma that makes everyone fall in love with him. It’s impossible not to adore him, not to find him beautiful, not to admire his sun kissed skin and his expressive eyes.

 

It is unfair that someone young and sweet like Jongin has to suffer this much. Yixing knows he and Sehun lived on the street for an entire year and they were obligated to make things they aren’t proud of, but that doesn’t make them a better or worse person. They are special, and so, so strong, Yixing hopes they won’t lose their strength, mostly now that they need it the most.

 

  
**iv**

 

  
It’s been three weeks and Sehun is called again.

 

There is no sign of Yixing, and Junmyeon is starting to work with the possibility that he is dead. It’s a likely thing to happen if you consider Yixing is the leader along with Junmyeon and that he is a significant influence in the crime’s world. All China is in his hands and maybe cutting the evil by its root would help to destroy the partnership. Without a firm leader, EXO doesn’t have any strength in China, and if Yixing is dead, it might mean the end of their gang in the other country.

 

It hurts, of course, after living for almost ten years together, going through so much side by side and sharing both happiness and sorrow day by day. Junmyeon feels like his heart has been ripped from his chest just by thinking of a world without Yixing, and the fact that this is almost coming true only makes everything even more challenging. He talks to Hanee about it, since she insists that he should share his feelings with her, and he stupidly hopes that she will pity him enough to tell where Yixing is. He also thought she would use their relationship as a weapon to torture him, but apparently, she is not interested in that.

 

Every member receives a different treatment. Junmyeon only has to talk about his feelings, Baekhyun is always drugged, Sehun is forced to watch horrific images and express his thoughts. Minseok and Jongdae have been tested on, though they have a regular therapy session after, unlike Chanyeol, who is treated with shock therapy. It is evident to all of them that the government – or whoever is doing this – is interested in finding a cure to the criminality.

 

It’s three at the afternoon, Sehun can see it because of the clock on the wall, and he barely feels his wrists after being tied to the chair for so long. The door opens and he widens his eyes as he sees Kyungsoo. He is not hurt and he doesn’t seem broken, what is a good sign and Sehun thanks in silence that he is okay. When he is tied in the chair beside him, Sehun turns his head to the side and smiles at him.

 

“Hyung, I was so worried.” He says, uselessly trying to reach his hands. “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, they are taking easy on me.” Kyungsoo answers and he swallows, looking forward as the doctors enter the room. Sehun is confused because there is no screen, and he is not forced to keep his eyes open either.

 

“Sehun.” A different woman starts, staring into his eyes. “It’s been reported you are not reacting to the treatment. If the videos are not working, then we thought about having a real life show.”

 

“What–” He mutters, gasping when Jongin is dragged into the room, carried by two men. After him, there is a metal coffin, being pushed by a young boy. “Jongin!” He calls, but it seems the older is heavily drugged. Jongin is not visibly hurt at least, his face is perfect as always, and it looks like he has been fed okay. His eyes are wide as he looks at him, and he doesn’t seem to be conscious right now, even though he is standing in front of them. People in white enter the room, sitting in the chairs behind Sehun, and they all look like scientists.

 

“What you are about to see now is the future.” The woman says, and Sehun realizes that thing is not a coffin when she opens it. It looks more like a giant freezer, Sehun can feel its icy air from where he is sitting and he is so confused. “This is the first cryogenic experiment involving a healthy living human.”

 

Sehun looks at them and at Kyungsoo and he can’t believe what she is saying. As far as Sehun knows, cryogenics studies are rare and it’s illegal, plus not being safe at all.

 

“Kim Jongin is going to freeze in a -150º temperature, his body will be conserved for the past years. We expect to keep him for at least a hundred years before waking him up.” She continues and Sehun can’t stand that. Jongin doesn’t react at her words and Sehun is sure he is drugged, he doesn’t even know what is going to happen. Sehun’s eyes water and he squirm, trying to get rid of the ropes. “We think Mr. Kim’s loved one should be able to watch this historical moment, as a reward for their good behavior.”

 

“What?” Sehun sobs as Jongin is firmly held and pierced with the thick needles from the syringes, as his body is filled with unknown chemicals. “Let him go! Please!”

 

Sehun is ignored as they keep preparing Jongin, cutting his clothes off and leaving him naked. He still has the same handsome body, he didn’t lose weight and his skin is flawless. He was probably picked up for this experiment for his strong muscles and impeccable health. Sehun squeezes his eyes as Jongin legs start getting limp, and he pulls the ropes harder, not bothering as he hurts himself. This can’t be happening; he keeps telling himself, he is just having an awful nightmare. Jongin can’t be forced to enter in that thing, naked and trapped in ice, and Sehun screams in agony, begging for them to stop.

 

Kyungsoo is deadly silent, probably because of the shock of watching that scene, and Sehun fears for them both. Everything happens so fast, within a few seconds, he hears the device’s door is locked and everyone applauses, amazed by the new technology. There is nothing beautiful about it, Sehun wants to yell at them, there is no glory as he watches his best friend being killed without even knowing what is happening. He didn’t stand a chance, being drugged as he was, and Sehun is desperate as the reality crushes him.

 

It can’t be true, but Jongin is dead. He is dead and those mad people call it a miracle, a science discovery and they celebrate it. Sehun calls it murder. He doesn’t want to imagine a life without Jongin, his first love, and friend, the person who saved him several times, who was always there for him. Sehun had to watch it, to feel powerless as he was not able to protect him, to save his life.

 

“Come with me.” The young boy whispers, he is wearing a mask and the same lab coat as everyone. He unties him, and he pulls Sehun by his arm, even though he struggles, trying to free himself. “Sir, I’m taking the prisoner back to his cell.” He informs the commandant, who only nods, and Sehun whines as he is forced to walk.

 

Being dragged along this place for the past weeks, Sehun knows the path really well, and they take the right instead of the left, walking past the lab rooms and the cages. The boy has a taser in his waist, and Sehun doesn’t have the strength to fight back, so he only complies when he pushes him into an empty dark room. He closes the door, looking around, and he takes the mask off.

 

“Sehun.” He calls, and Sehun looks at him. His light brown hair is messy, his skin is white and he has red circles under his dark hazel eyes. His lips look like a small pink rose, he is pretty and young, just like Sehun. It takes him a few moments until he realizes why he feels this odd familiarity towards him and he gasps in surprise.

 

“Luhan?” Sehun asks, keeping his voice low. The other nods and Sehun gulps, his hands are trembling and sweating. “How did you…”

 

“Doesn’t matter now.” Luhan cuts him, his accent is rough, and the words seem foreign in his mouth. “Yifan and Zitao are outside; they brought people with them. And explosives to knock that gate down.”

 

“Are you going to enter by the front door? Are you crazy?”

 

“I’m not stupid,” Luhan says. “It’s a diversion; they will think we are going to enter by the front and won’t check the back.” He explains, fumbling in his bag and he throws some clothes at Sehun. “Dress this. The control panel is on the second floor, if you enter there you will have full access.”

 

“What about Jongin?” Sehun asks as he dresses up, putting the mask on. “You can’t leave him like that.”

 

“When the other members are free, we will carry him to the car. We still can save him; he’s not dead yet.” Luhan answers and he sighs. “I don’t have the keys to open the cell’s door so I’m afraid you will have to go alone. It’s really simple, you just have to get an ID and enter it as though you are a typical doctor, and once you are inside” he reaches his bag once more, handing him an electric gun. “you shoot everyone and everything, crashing the entire system. The cells have two locks, but if you deactivate the electronic one, the physical one is useless.”

 

“It seems simple as fuck.” Sehun scoffs low. “I’m sorry, it’s just… I’m used to dealing with things, but this is just too much.”

 

“I know,” Luhan says, and he rubs his shoulder reassuringly. “But you are strong, Sehun. You can do it.”

 

Taking a deep sigh, Sehun nods. Luhan offers him some water and an energetic bar, which he hungrily eats. He can’t be away for too long, or they will find it odd, so he only changes a few words with Luhan while. The older boy says the newspapers announced that they were sentenced to death, but that he knew it was a lie. He told Sehun that after Yixing was abducted a few times in the past, they implanted a chip on each other, so they would never get lost. It was easy to find him then, following the coordinates like a simple GPS.

 

Luhan even hugs him, and it doesn’t feel awkward as it should. They just met personally, but Sehun has seen his face in the papers so many times that it’s almost as if he knows him for a long time.

 

With hurried steps, Sehun leaves the room, doing his best not to draw any attention. It is not that difficult once they all have the same white vestments and he is also wearing a mask. The place isn’t alive as he used to think it was; there are only a few guards here and there, wandering around the corridors, and busy doctors hushing to their offices. Sehun climbs the stairs, and he notices Luhan didn’t exactly explain where this room is.

 

Slowing down, Sehun watches around, trying to find an easy prey. He finds a tiny, thin girl, distracted with her clipboard, reading her notes as she walks. He goes after her, being quiet as a tiger and when she turns the corridor, he attacks fast, pushing her to the shadow and hitting her with Luhan’s taser. It’s enough to make her pass out, and Sehun takes her ID from her pocket, moving away from her body and running to the control room.

 

There is a big door at the end of the corridor, and he assumes he’s found the spot. Sehun is panting slightly and the adrenaline races through his veins, causing his heart to beat faster. He only has one chance, if he fails he will damn his members and Jongin to death. The pure thought is enough to get him nervous, and with shaking hands he presses the ID on the lock, sighing in relief when the door opens for him.

 

Just when he gets inside he hears the loud sound of an explosion and the alarm goes on. Sehun assumes it’s Yifan blowing the gates up and he ignores it, looking around. He didn’t think there would be any cages in here, so he is surprised when he sees a few people locked up. Maybe Kyungsoo and Yixing are in this room, and he decides to check every cell.

 

There is a familiar groan, and Sehun turns around, recognizing the black hair from far away. His heart beats faster, and he can’t believe he found Yixing, that he is actually here and alive, and he runs to him, calling his name. It seems he is passed out, and Sehun can smell his blood as well, making him worry even more. He uses his ID on the lock, and he is surprised when it works, the door opens, and he grabs Yixing’s body, hugging him.

 

“Wake up, please.” He sobs, getting scared when he sees the blood on his hands after touching him. “Wake up, Yixing, please!”

 

“Sehun” Yixing gasps, and Sehun doesn’t know whether he is dreaming or not. “Kyungsoo… He…”

 

“Sehun.” A voice calls, and he turns around, seeing Kyungsoo standing there. He gets up, looking at him, and he holds his taser harder. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I came to save you, Soo.” He says though it doesn’t look like he needs to be saved. He is the one who looks the best, and when he smiles, Sehun feels his whole body shivering. It doesn’t look good at all and Sehun walks back as Kyungsoo approaches him.

 

“Dear Sehunnie, always so stupid.” Kyungsoo grins, pressing a button and locking the door so Sehun can’t escape. “Though it was stupidity that saved you.”

 

“What do you mean?” Sehun asks, and he firmly grips the taser, his heart looks like it’s going to escape from his ribcage and he breathes heavily.

 

“They let me have just one of you,” Kyungsoo says and smiles. “Of course it was Jongin. I would have fun torturing you, but I couldn’t lose my chance to have him for ever.”

 

“You… You killed him? I thought you loved him!” Sehun speaks exasperated, and he feels dizzy. It makes perfect sense, Sehun knows that, and it explains everything. How they got arrested in the first place, why Kyungsoo and Jongin were missing, why the only time he got to see them both was in Jongin’s murder…

 

“I do, that’s why he is frozen now. I want to study him.” Kyungsoo explains, and he laughs. “I’m a scientist, you idiot, but I also work for the government, and they paid a lot. It was a challenge, and I had to be infiltrated for a long time before I could earn your trust…”

 

“You betrayed us” Sehun states, and he gulps, taking the gun in his belt and aiming the other’s heart.

 

“I wouldn’t say that. I was never yours to betray you.” Kyungsoo seems rather amused, and Sehun feels annoyed by it. There is a lot of feelings and thoughts swirling in his mind, and he can’t decide what he should do. “You know, I was in doubt all the time because I was actually falling in love with Jongin… But now I know that I could never have him. You were always there, Sehun, and I couldn’t get rid of you without looking suspicious.”

 

“You’re crazy,” Sehun speaks, and tears blur his eyes. “Your jealousy drove you crazy.”

 

“Maybe. What matters is that I was the one who arrested EXO, that I am going to be the first scientist to have a successful cryogenic experiment, that my name will be written everywhere. Plus, you are all being quite helpful to the government, being the perfect lab rats they need.”

 

“You gave them that fucking tape.” He blurts out, as he realizes Kyungsoo must have made a copy before they destroyed it. “You gave them our location that day so we could be arrested. You’re a sadist! Did you do all this for glory?”

 

“Not for glory” Kyungsoo starts, walking closer. “I’m just cleaning the streets.” He adds and then he smirks. “It’s a pity I will have to kill you; you can be quite funny.” He clicks his tongue, taking a real revolver from his pants, and Sehun looks at it.

 

It’s the end of the line, and he has never been so close to death. The sound of the weapon being unlocked is dreadful, and the only thing that he knows is that he needs to disarm him. Before Kyungsoo can shot, Sehun jumps on him, hitting him with the taser and grabbing his wrists, trying to get the gun from him.

 

Kyungsoo is not like that girl though, he has been trained for years, just like Sehun, and even though the revolver does fall to the ground, he doesn’t pass out with the electricity. In fact, he uses the opportunity to kick Sehun’s stomach, hitting it with his knee, and when Sehun staggers, he punches him on the lungs. Sehun loses his breath, and he coughs, falling, and he rolls to the side, his fingers touch the grip of the handgun.

 

Nevertheless, Kyungsoo sees what he is doing, and he kicks the gun away, kneeling down and grabbing Sehun’s collar, looking into his eyes. He punches his face hard, and Sehun can feel his lip splitting with the impact, can hear his bone breaking as his knuckles hit his nose one, two, three times. It is harder to breathe, and the pain blinds him, his mouth feels so full of blood, and he chokes on it.

 

“Bye Sehunnie.” Kyungsoo hums, and he wraps his hands around Sehun’s throat, squeezing it. Sehun gasps, and he grabs Kyungsoo’s wrists, scratching it and trying to fight back. He starts feeling lightheaded, and Sehun can’t accept he is going to die like this, being suffocated to death by his member, a person he used to trust and consider like a friend, a brother. Someone he would die for.

 

Sehun tries desperately to breathe, he starts feeling weak due to the oxygen lack, and he feels like Kyungsoo could break his neck from how hard he is squeezing it. The only word that comes to his mind is ‘why’; he can’t understand why in Earth Kyungsoo did all this, why they are going to end like this, dying in the hands of someone who saved his life several times before. It’s simply ironical, and Sehun would laugh if he could.

 

Kyungsoo is too distracted with Sehun, apparently enjoying the feeling of being on power and on top of him, of watching the light fade from his eyes as he drains the life from him, that he doesn’t see Yixing moving and reaching the gun, neither hears him getting up. It’s just too fast, and there is a dry bang, something wet, and then Sehun can breathe. He coughs hard, and Yixing helps him sit down, rubbing his back and pushing Kyungsoo away.

 

Sehun feels like fainting and there is blood everywhere. Kyungsoo’s head is a mix of brain and tissues on the floor, and it is utterly horrific, disgusting. He knows they don’t have time and he gets up, his legs are shaking, and everything is spinning. He gets the electric gun, panting hard, and he looks at Yixing.

 

“Xing, help me destroy this panel.” He asks since Yixing still has the handgun and the latter nods, not losing time before he starts shooting the controls. Sehun does the same, ignoring all the alarms and sounds when they burn, and he looks through the security cameras before they lose their signal, seeing that Yifan managed to enter the back door. When he is done, he moves closer to Yixing, checking him quickly. He is severely injured, but the adrenaline rush helps him fight the pain, and it’s a good thing. He wouldn’t manage to carry him and have help is more than welcome now. “Let’s go.”

 

Unlocking the door from inside, Sehun grabs Yixing’s wrist, starting to run, and everything is simply chaos as all the cells are open. He goes down the stairs, and the main hall looks like a battlefield. He spots Luhan, and he screams his name, louder than he thought because Luhan actually hears him in the middle of all the yells and shoots. He widens his eyes at the view of Yixing, and he runs to him, jumping into his arms and hugging him. He says something in Chinese and Sehun doesn’t understand it, but he recognizes the name Zitao and he assumes they are going to take care of him.

 

“Go find the others and rescue Jongin,” Luhan tells Sehun before he disappears with Yixing.

 

It would be stupid to walk through the hall with a lab coat, and he quickly takes it off along with the white boots, starting to run to his cell. It’s a pandemonium as the prisoners have escaped, and they are all violent criminal, people who nourish a deep hate for their warders, so it’s no surprise they are slamming their flesh with metal bars, hitting them until they are disfigured. Their primary target is the guards because they are armed, and Sehun ignores all that, following the path he knows so well.

 

“Sehun!” Baekhyun screams as he spots him and he runs to him, hugging him tightly. “Oh fuck, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, it’s not my blood.” He says, pulling away, and he sees all the other four coming closer. He suddenly realizes they don’t know anything, and there is no time to explain either. “We need to save Jongin.”

 

“Do you know where he is?” Junmyeon asks, and Sehun nods, leading the way.

 

It almost feels as though it’s a regular day, a mere gangs fight, and they run in formation, grabbing the weapons from the dead and shooting anyone who gets in their way. For a second, he forgets he is covered by Kyungsoo’s blood, and he can feel that small happiness he always feels when they are fighting together. Violence is bad, Hanee says, but Sehun feels right as he shoots the scientists in that room, killing them before they can even look up.

 

“Jongin is there,” Sehun explains, and they are all shocked when they see Jongin frozen. It actually looks like he is dead but when he looks closely, he can see he is still breathing. Those chemicals are probably keeping him alive for now, what means they don’t have much time. Junmyeon approaches, and he starts pressing the device’s buttons, gradually changing the temperature, being careful as he doesn’t want to cause a thermal shock. Jongdae, Minseok, and Chanyeol stay at the door, guarding it, and Baekhyun sits beside Sehun.

 

“Where are Kyungsoo and Yixing? We need to save them as well.”

 

“Yixing is safe with Luhan. Kyungsoo is dead.” Sehun says, and when Baekhyun’s eyes get filled with tears, Sehun sighs. “Don’t cry for him. He… He did this to us. He betrayed us.” He adds, and when they widen their eyes, he shakes his head. He is too tired for this. “I’ll explain later.”

 

Junmyeon looks at him, opening his mouth a bit as he is perplexed. It is hard to believe that, and he remembers how close he was from Kyungsoo, how he would sometimes sit outside and talk to him about everything. He was very wise, he had a deep interest in science, and he liked talking about the galaxy. Was he faking it too? Junmyeon can’t help the single tear that escapes from his eyes, and he thinks it’s a pity because he liked Kyungsoo indeed. He was a good man, he just… Didn't play on the right side.

 

“Alright, it’s 20ºC… I think it’s safe to take him.” Junmyeon says, and he presses a few other buttons, opening the glass. Jongin isn’t trapped to anything, and he almost falls forward, but Junmyeon holds him. Baekhyun rips the curtains and comes back, covering him with them, and Junmyeon carries Jongin in his arms. “Where do we take him?”

 

“Yifan it’s outside,” Sehun informs him, and he grabs his gun again, walking outside. This time, most of the prisoners escaped by the front door, since the police will be here soon, and Yifan quickly finds them, parking the van near.

 

Yifan gets off, helping Junmyeon to put Jongin in the vehicle, and he wraps him in thick blankets, putting an oxygen mask on his face. After everyone is in, he starts driving, and they are all very shocked and exhausted. Sehun leans on Baekhyun’s shoulder, allowing his eyes to fall close and his mind finally goes blank so that he can get some rest.

 

  
**final**

 

 

  
Shivering, Baekhyun wakes up, and Chanyeol pulls him closer immediately, groaning in his sleep. The nightmares have been more and more frequent, to the point where he can't have a full night without having them. He is panting hard, his fingers clench around Chanyeol's shirt, and even the grip of Chanyeol's fingers around his waist becomes too much. He keeps telling himself that it's okay, that he is safe, but the ghost of his old torturers won't leave him alone. It's almost as though he still can feel the cold kiss of the sharp knives, the sensation of his blood dripping and oozing from his wounds, the rawness of his throat after screaming too much.

 

"Baekhyun." Sehun calls him in a low voice, and Baekhyun escapes from Chanyeol's arms, going to his bed and hugging him instead.

 

"Nightmare?" Baekhyun asks in a whispered voice, getting a low hum as an answer.

 

They share the same destiny now, damned to have their worse memories relived day by day, and Sehun hates that so much. He obviously had killed people before, but it's quite shocking that he had to see his old friend have his head shot, its contents spread on the floor and its crimson blood dirtying Sehun's porcelain skin. He also doesn't forget the tape and the videos he had to watch, all those barbarities being shown to him as he was forced to keep his eyes open. It comes back to his mind every time he lays his head on the pillow to rest, and this time it's Baekhyun who has to comfort him.

 

Quite often Sehun asks himself if he is weaker just because he is traumatized by what happened. He used to consider himself a gangster, hence he was indestructible, untouchable, unreachable... What a fool. They all forgot they are humans, Sehun concludes, and that's their biggest weakness. Even if he were a regular, ordinary person, he would probably have his fears that would keep him up at night.

 

Jongin tells him that he still dreams of Kyungsoo, that the mere thought hurts him, and that name became sort of a tabu among them. Jongin tried to make up to Sehun with playful kisses, thinking that would make them both feel better, but Sehun only felt worse, as though Kyungsoo was right and he had feelings for the taller boy. It's obvious that wouldn't change that the real issue was the betrayal, but it's easier to try and find a culprit than to accept that they were deceived.

 

Marginalized, being excluded from society and abandoned to their luck, one could never expect too much from them. It's like Sehun was born to fail; he failed his parents, his friends and even himself. However, it's their fault, they choose that path, from the very beginning; that's what they were told as they were in the facility, and even absurd lies look true when said too many times. Did the government want them to be cured? Sehun honestly believes they preferred just to exclude them, to send them to the electric chair, as though they wouldn't become murderers for having sent criminal boys to die.

 

It's ironical at least, and he hates that he is the one who is condemned to suffer while the true evil is ruling the city. Give them food and a little entertainment, and they will say thank you, sir. If they work too much, they won't have time to study and to think. That's the rule, Sehun knows, and going against it is like suicide. Sehun takes a deep sigh, squeezing Baekhyun in his arms.

 

"It's okay," he whispers, even though he knows it's not and it won't ever be.

 

 

 

  
Tracing the map’s lines with his fingers, Junmyeon listens to the radio. His name is always in the wanted’s list, and it’s nothing new when he hears it. He is a bit surprised when the whole case didn’t get the attention he thought it would receive, though he is glad the laws against human experimentation have been rewritten, making it clear that it’s an illegal thing to do, a horrible crime.

 

Owning one of the most influential capitals in the world makes him feel powerful, as EXO is now respected by every single gang. The old prisoners of the facility know very well that it was an EXO’s member who opened the doors, which allowed them to run away. Not that Junmyeon is completely satisfied with that, truth to be told. There were a few nasty men that deserved to be in jail, and they are free now, wandering in the streets limitlessly.

 

Surprisingly, a significant part of the fugitives got traumatized after months of tests and torture, and they quit the crime’s life, only to be excluded from society again. Junmyeon thinks it’s ironical because even if the treatment worked, the world is not ready for them to come back. It’s just a fact of numbers, of having the lowest criminality tax, of pretending to be a perfect country. Some of them are going to get even worse, some will be arrested and some will not, some will kill people and a few will kill themselves. Is that what cleaning the city means? It’s more like sweep the dirt under the rug, he concludes.

 

In the end, Junmyeon doesn’t blame Kyungsoo entirely. He’s known him for far too long to consider he faked everything, and he knows that he was just blind by the money, by his biggest passion – the science. He still has a place for him in his heart, even though it’s smaller than before, and he thinks of him every day.

 

It’s a pity the other boys had to suffer because of him, though. Yixing took a whole month to recover fully, after being tortured every day, but he appears to be okay now. They all are good in pretending, but they can’t keep quiet at night, can’t escape from the nightmares and the ghosts that haunt them.

 

Sighing, he gets up, turning the radio off, and he walks to the living room, smiling fondly at the view of Sehun cuddling with Jongin. They have been through so much together, but they continue being good friends like Sehun always affirmed. He uses to blame himself for all that happened, thinking it was Kyungsoo’s jealousy that triggered the betrayal, but all the boys assure him it could never be his fault. Kyungsoo was sick, as he considered that it was a good idea to freeze Jongin, so no one beside him could have him.

 

“Junmyeon.” Yixing calls and he turns around, looking at him. He offers him a cigarette, which he gladly accepts, and he allows the Chinese man to light it on. They go outside, sitting on a rock and looking at the horizon.

 

“It’s funny how the streets are ours, but we are not safe there.” Junmyeon starts, blowing the smoking away. “We can’t quit this life anymore.”

 

“But do you want to quit?” Yixing asks, taking a deep breath. “They were right about a few things. We might don't choose this life, but we didn’t walk away when we had the chance. We like the adrenaline, the money, the respect we get.”

 

“Society is not ready for us anyway.” He scoffs, sighing. “Fucking hypocrites, that’s what they are.”

 

Yixing smiles at that, and he gazes at him, looking amused.

 

“Tell me, my friend, aren’t we all crazy hypocrites?”

 

Junmyeon doesn’t answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> hello!  
> first of all, i would like to thank the mods for their patience ♥  
> i hope the prompter liked your fic <3 i tried my best to follow the prompt, even though i added a few things hehe  
> thank you so much for reading~ comments and kudos always makes this author happy. ~
> 
> thank you!


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